This invention relates to computer network communication systems. More particularly the invention relates to providing, monitoring, and controlling access to a global computer network communication system. A microfiche source code appendix comprising six slides and a total of 546 frames is provided herewith as one embodiment of the invention.
What is needed, however, is a system that can detect when the network client is properly configured to receive requested information and associated supplemental information.
The above and other needs are met by a method of accessing information through a network server from information sources in a computer communication network. The method routes the information through the network server to a network client. A request for requested information from a requested information source is sent using the network client. The request is inspected with the network server to determine whether it is a first request or a second request. If the request is the first request, then the network server sends the first request to the requested information source. The requested information is received from the requested information source, using the network server, which saves the requested information in a memory. The network server sends format and request instruction to the network client, which receives them, and uses the format and request instructions to send the second request for the requested information. If the request is the second request, then the network server sends the requested information from the memory to the network client in response to the second request. The network client sends a request for supplemental information, using the format and request instructions. The request for supplemental information is associated with supplemental information from a supplemental information source, using the network server, and the associated supplemental information is sent from the supplemental information source to the network client.
Thus, in this method according to the invention, the network server sends format and request instructions to the network client. in response to the first request, instead of sending the requested information. The network client sends the second request using the format and request instructions, which also cause the network client to send a request for supplemental information. Both the requested information and the supplemental information are sent to the network client in response to these requests from the network client.
In an alternate embodiment, the network client sends a first request for requested information, which it desires from a requested information source. The network server inspects the first request, and determines whether the request includes a tag. If the first request does not include the tag, then the network server sends the first request to the requested information source, and the requested information is received from the requested information source by the network server. The network server associates the requested information with the tag, and saves the associated requested information in a memory. Format and request instructions, that include the tag, are sent by the network server and received by the network client. The network client uses the format and request instructions to send a second request for the requested information, where the second request includes the tag.
The network server inspects the second request, and determines whether the second request includes the tag. If the second request includes the tag, the network servers sends the associated requested information from the memory to the network client in response to the tagged second request. Using the format and request instructions, the network client also sends a request for supplemental information. The network server associates the request for supplemental information with supplemental information from a supplemental information source. The associated supplemental information is sent from the supplemental information source to the network client.
Thus, each first request for requested information from a network client does not have a tag. The network server retrieves the requested information, tags it, and stores it in a memory. The network server also sends special instructions to the network client in response to the first request. The instructions contain the tag. The instructions prompt the network client to make a second request for the requested information, where the second request includes the tag. In response to the second request, the network server sends the associated requested information from memory to the network client. The instructions also prompt the network client to send a request for the associated supplemental information, which is also sent to the network client. Therefore, a method according to the present invention ensures that the network client will receive the requested information that it has requested, and also ensures that the network client will request the associated supplemental information.
In various preferred embodiments, the associating step may further include selecting the associated supplemental information based on either or both of the requested information or the requested information source. Also, the associating step may include receiving supplemental information preferences from the network client, and recording the supplemental information preferences in a network client profile.
The network client profile is read to determine the supplemental information preferences, and the requested information source is associated with supplemental information from the supplemental information source based at least in part on the supplemental information preferences.
The associating step may also include creating a history file for the network client, and writing entries in the history file based at least in part on the identity of each requested information source from which the network client has requested information. Supplemental information preferences are determined based at least in part on the entries in the history file, and the requested information source is associated with supplemental information from the supplemental information source based at least in part on the supplemental information preferences. A time stamp may be selectively appended to each of the entries in the history file, and the entries in the history file selectively deleted based at least in part on the time stamp.
The associating step may further include receiving predetermined information from the network client, recording the predetermined information in a network client profile, and creating a network client preferences file including criteria relating the predetermined information to supplemental information from the supplemental information source. The network client profile is read to determine the predetermined information, the network client preferences file is also read to determine the criteria, and matches are determined between the predetermined information from the network client profile and the criteria from the network client preferences file. The requested information source is associated with the supplemental information from the supplemental information source based at least in part on the matches between the predetermined information from the network client profile and the criteria from the network client preferences file.
A network server according to the present invention accesses information from information sources in a computer communication network, and routes the information to a network client. Transmission means receive from the network client a request for requested information from a requested information source. Communication monitoring means inspect the request and determine whether the request includes a tag. In the case where the request does not include the tag, the transmission means request the requested information and receive the requested information. Association means associate the tag with the requested information, and the associated requested information is stored in a memory means.
The transmission means send instructions to the network client that include the tag. In the case where the request does include the tag, the transmission means send the associated requested information to the network client. Association means associate the request for supplemental information with supplemental information. The transmission means request the associated supplemental information and receive the associated supplemental information. The transmission means further send the associated supplemental information to the network client in response to the request for the associated supplemental information from the network client.
In one embodiment, a network client profile associated with the network client resides in the memory means, and includes supplemental information preferences for the network client. The association means associate the requested information source with the supplemental information source based at least in part on the supplemental information preferences. In another embodiment, the association means associates the supplemental information based on one or both of the requested information or the requested information source.
In yet another embodiment, a history file associated with the network client resides in the memory means, and includes entries based at least in part on the identity of each requested information source from which the network client has requested information. The logic means determine supplemental information preferences based at least in part on the entries in the history file, and the association means associate the requested information source with the supplemental information from the supplemental information source based at least in part on the supplemental information preferences. In a most preferred embodiment, a clock selectively appends a time stamp to each of the entries in the history file, and the logic means selectively delete entries from the history file based at least in part on the time stamp.